It’s another week of The Game, so it’s another round of Commie-catching cat and mouse. That is, it would be if the cat and his colleagues had to wear trench coats and keep a discreet distance as the mouse went about its secret mouse business of selling cheese secrets or blueprints of mouse-traps. Can Arkady, … >
In our fifth visit to Game of Thrones this year, Dany made some questionable decisions, Aemon Targaryen advised Jon to ‘kill the boy and let the man be born’, Brienne refused to abandon her oath and Stannis appointed himself Westeros’ official guardian of grammar. Elsewhere, Sansa struggled to cope in her old home of Winterfell. … >
A twist ending can pay off beautifully, but it’s always a gamble. As for Tatau’s conclusion… Well, that certainly got extra-fantastical, didn’t it? If Calcott’s is the only church on the island, I feel especially bad for the random parishioners that probably just want to show up in their nice hats, sing hymns, and then … >
As we find ourselves crawling towards Tatau’s conclusion, it has become increasingly unsettling viewing. The thing is, I’m not completely convinced I’m unsettled for the right or intended reasons. I’m finding myself increasingly uncomfortable with the way the female characters are placed in this show. Each one’s motivations are placed squarely in relation to a … >
When it comes to occupying our various entertainment rectangles, the BBC is practiced to the point of ease at two things: period dramas and adaptations of novels. Often both at once, as we’ve seen most recently with Wolf Hall and Poldark. But there’s being very good at something, and then there’s just showing off, because … >
It’s now November 1939. As the conflict rages in Europe, internal turmoil brews at home. Farming is a reserved occupation, so Stanley Farrow is exempt from compulsory service. He feels it is his duty to fight and seeks counsel from Rev. Collingborne. Finding no help from the good padre, he broods about his decision. In … >
Lisa Lynch caught the public’s attention several years ago when, in an effort to deal with her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, she began a blog as an outlet to cope with her condition. That blog would later become best-selling book, The C Word, the events of which inspired this stunning feature-length BBC One drama. … >
The double-length season finale – which, due to the show’s cancellation, has become the final instalment of Atlantis – too was a lengthy affair of shifting allegiances, death and resurrection. With Jason back in command of both his senses and his hormones, he planned a raid on the city to free his pal Diocles from … >
Oh, Thunderbird 5. It’s no one’s favourite Thunderbird, let’s face it. The idea of an episode revolving around the giant satellite certainly doesn’t get the excitement pumping through our little fan-boy chests much. And yet, an episode like ‘EOS’ certainly makes a strong case for such an idea, with a huge focus on what makes … >
Watching The Game is like learning to appreciate good single malt. It’s a complex and carefully-crafted thing that you’d probably love to drink faster, but which you’re meant to just sip at, as the plot unfolds at its own pace. If you want a spy drama you can chug, The Game is not for you. … >